Maastricht University - UM vs Utrecht University - UU vs University of Amsterdam - UvA vs Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences vs Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Side-by-side comparison from 434 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted
- +Supportive faculty and engaging teaching methods
- +International atmosphere and diverse student body
- +Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and small-group work
- +High quality education and independent thinking encouragement
- +Broad course selection and academic freedom
- +Insightful and practical courses useful for future careers
- +Accessible programs and flexible study structures
- +Supportive and approachable lecturers
- +Well-designed, up-to-date curriculum
- +Practical, industry-focused curriculum with entrepreneurship and FinTech emphasis
- +Supportive, international, and diverse academic environment
- +Engaging and approachable professors and mentors
- +Practical, career-oriented curriculum and useful course content
- +Supportive and friendly teachers providing concrete feedback
- +Welcoming international environment and comfortable study spaces
- +Welcoming atmosphere and helpful staff
- +Practical, project-based learning (DBE)
- +Opportunities for real-world experience and international exposure
- +Practical, real-world focus
- +International and diverse community
- +Supportive, close-knit environment
- -Problem-based learning is seen as ineffective and overly demanding.
- -Strict academic policies, including high failure rates and BSA, create undue pressure.
- -Program organization and structure are often perceived as poor.
- -Administrative and communication issues are a major concern.
- -Lack of teacher and supervisor support negatively impacts the learning experience.
- -The environment is perceived as stressful and lacking in positive support.
- -Lack of administrative and faculty support
- -High costs with perceived low value and outdated facilities
- -Poor communication and inflexible policies
- -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
- -Outdated facilities and resources are a significant drawback.
- -Lack of clear communication and support is a recurring problem.
- -Administrative and management issues are a frequent source of frustration.
- -Outdated facilities and a lack of necessary resources are consistently criticized.
- -The curriculum is perceived as irrelevant or poorly implemented by many students.
- -Poor communication and lack of teacher support are major issues.
- -Disorganization and unclear assessments lead to student confusion.
- -Inconsistent feedback and arbitrary grading practices are frustrating.
- -Excessive administrative and management issues cause frustration.
- -Outdated facilities and resources hinder learning experiences.
- -Inconsistent and poor quality instruction diminishes academic value.
This university garners excellent marks for its internationality, receiving a high rating of 4.54. Professors and value are also strong points, both scoring above 4.2. Student life and facilities are well-regarded, with ratings around 4.0 and 4.2 respectively. The location is rated adequately at 3.9. Notably, accommodation stands out as the weakest area, with a score of 2.9.
Student feedback reveals a generally strong university experience. Location and Student Life stand out as the highest-rated aspects, both exceeding 4.25. Internationality and Value also received excellent scores, around 4.2. Facilities and Professors are rated well, though slightly lower than the top areas. Accomodation is the weakest point, scoring significantly lower than other categories.
This university scores exceptionally well in several key areas, with Location standing out as the highest rated at 4.59. Internationality also receives a strong score of 4.49. Conversely, Accomodation is the weakest point, with a significantly lower rating of 2.96. Other aspects like Facilities, Professors, Student Life, and Value are all rated around the 4.0 to 4.2 mark, indicating solid but not exceptional performance in these domains.
A notable strength lies in the university's **Internationality**, achieving a high rating of 4.875. Conversely, **Student Life** received the lowest score at 2.625, suggesting an area for potential improvement. Other areas, including Accommodation, Location, Value, and Professors, fall within a moderate to good range, indicating a generally well-rounded offering with specific areas of excellence and those needing development.
This institution demonstrates significant strengths in internationality, earning a rating of 4.42, and excels in facilities and value, both scoring 4.33. Student life is rated 3.67, slightly above the professor rating of 3.58. The weakest area identified is accommodation, with a score of 3.
This institution garners exceptional ratings in **Facilities** (4.41) and **Internationality** (4.46), indicating a robust and globally connected campus environment. Student life also scores well at 4.07. Conversely, **Accomodation** (3.62) and **Professors** (3.81) are the areas with the lowest reported satisfaction, suggesting room for improvement in these aspects.
This institution receives outstanding marks across most aspects. Facilities, professors, location, student life, and overall value are all rated at a near-perfect 4.67. Internationality stands out as a perfect 5. Accommodations, while still strong, are the lowest rated category at 4.33, representing the sole area for potential improvement.
Approximately 91.5% of reviews are positive, highlighting a welcoming campus, supportive professors, and a lively student city. Negative feedback, representing ~8.5%, points to high failing rates and concerns about the organization and pressure of Problem-Based Learning.
Approximately 98.3% of feedback is positive, highlighting high-quality education, independent thinking, and freedom in course selection. A small portion of feedback mentions disorganization and lack of guidance.
~96% of reviews are positive, praising accessible programs, supportive lecturers, and useful facilities. A small ~4% of feedback highlights concerns about value, student support, and communication.
Most feedback is positive (~74%), highlighting practical learning, entrepreneurship focus, and internationalism. There are no negative reviews in the provided data.
~74% of reviews are positive, highlighting practical learning and supportive teachers. Some mention occasional disorganization and a chaotic online platform. No negative reviews were received.
Around ~86% of reviews are positive, highlighting a welcoming atmosphere and practical, project-based learning. A smaller portion (~6.4%) of feedback criticizes poor organization, unclear assignments, and a lack of teacher availability or feedback.
All 3 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5/5. Students highlight practical, real-world project experience and an international environment. The program is seen as future-focused and impactful.
One of the most advertised features of the university, it is very pressuring and does not deliver the promised results - everything still has to be learned in the same manner as everywhere else - but here no tutorials are to be missed and PBL is supposed to be a key to successful graduation. Doing twice the work, therefore dividing the attention and time resources, without other options for students struggling with this method - then you are on your own.
Utrecht University strikes the ideal balance between top-tier academics and an amazing student experience. As a science major, I love how challenging and research-focused the program is—it really pushes me to think deeper. The Utrecht Science Park campus is super modern, sustainable, and just a great place to study. What really makes UU special is its international vibe. Working with classmates from all over the world brought fresh perspectives to every project. The libraries are fantastic (I lived in both the silent study zones and the lively café areas!), and a cool bonus is the free Dutch classes for international students—they seriously helped me feel at home. Utrecht itself is the perfect student city: historic canals, fun events, and just the right mix of energy and coziness. Sure, there’s some paperwork headaches sometimes, but overall, UU gave me everything I needed to grow—both academically and as a global citizen.
I didn’t felt the program was worth my money and it was definitely not what I expected. From the professors to the actual syllabus I didn’t learned much and I feel this debt I just acquired was definitely a waste of time a big mistake
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Saxion - CMGT - Creative Media and Game Technologies - 2.5/5 TLDR: I only recommend the CMGT course to someone who is already disciplined to REALLY study the gaming topic they are interested in outside the dedicated time for the university. If you are looking for a course that makes you "game industry ready" look elsewhere. I finished the CMGT (Creative Media and Game Technologies) course as an artist in 2022. I went to Saxion (Enschede) with the dream of becoming a concept artist for video games (as advertised on the official website), after 4 years and €10000 dept I can say that I would have gotten the same knowledge out of top €1000 in relevant courses. A lot of the topics we went through are just "oh that's interesting to know, so when can I learn to draw concept art?". There was a lack of focus for artist in general (2D and 3D), you never get deep into any topic and most things except the bare basics are for you to learn in your own time. In addition, the amount of actual gaming projects is laughable for a course that advertises itself as gaming focused. But there were good things, even great things. The fellow students were very great partners and the teachers are knowledgeable and easy going. There is a very low focus on "memorize this and write it down" type test. 95% of the (art) grades are project based, meaning you create something (concepts, prototypes etc.) with other CMGT students (Other branches of CMGT are programmer and designer). Enschede itself is a great city to life in, with more than enough places to visit to fill the years with activities. In the last 2 years the students focus on larger projects, and for me, it was the case that the actual document that will be uploaded is much, much more important than the actual product we create. This was very frustrating because as an artist, I want to make things, not write documents all day. I would only recommend the CMGT to someone that is: 1) In need of a guided education about the basics of game making (equivalent of easy to get courses online) but more expensive of course 2) Interested in living in the Netherlands and experiencing the culture 3) Looking for an "easy" bachelor that can be obtained if you put in a bit of effort 4) A hardworking individual that does the bachelor on the side while advancing in their own domain of interest. Afterword: At the end of my study, I was so removed from what I actually wanted to learn that I could not advance professionally in the field I wanted to work in (concept art). Instead, I learned some things about UI design, which to be honest is a topic I really don't care about. **Important Note: The last 2 years of my studies were impacted by the covid pandemic.
Studying Creative Business at NHL Stenden has been a great experience with a few bumps down the road. Generally speaking, I'm very glad about my choice to study here - as an international student I am surrounded by other internationals which makes me feel more welcome and comfortable; this university has provided me with numerous extracurricular opportunities, which were not only great for networking and finding like-minded connections, but also getting extremely nice and useful experience, whether it's working on a real set with professional production equipment or creating content and representing my course on social media! When it comes to the study itself, it usually is pretty confusing, as students are usually just thrown into practical projects without initial preparation and sometimes not enough guidance. However, once you get used to design-based education, you realize how exciting the assignments actually are - working with real clients, producing your own ideas and seeing them come to life, and just "creativity, creativity, creativity" everywhere. I recommend this university for those who are not afraid of teamwork, thinking outside of the box, and being independent.
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